this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2023
32 points (100.0% liked)

Ask Science

8633 readers
5 users here now

Ask a science question, get a science answer.


Community Rules


Rule 1: Be respectful and inclusive.Treat others with respect, and maintain a positive atmosphere.


Rule 2: No harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or trolling.Avoid any form of harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or offensive behavior.


Rule 3: Engage in constructive discussions.Contribute to meaningful and constructive discussions that enhance scientific understanding.


Rule 4: No AI-generated answers.Strictly prohibit the use of AI-generated answers. Providing answers generated by AI systems is not allowed and may result in a ban.


Rule 5: Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.Adhere to community guidelines and comply with instructions given by moderators.


Rule 6: Use appropriate language and tone.Communicate using suitable language and maintain a professional and respectful tone.


Rule 7: Report violations.Report any violations of the community rules to the moderators for appropriate action.


Rule 8: Foster a continuous learning environment.Encourage a continuous learning environment where members can share knowledge and engage in scientific discussions.


Rule 9: Source required for answers.Provide credible sources for answers. Failure to include a source may result in the removal of the answer to ensure information reliability.


By adhering to these rules, we create a welcoming and informative environment where science-related questions receive accurate and credible answers. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Ask Science community a valuable resource for scientific knowledge.

We retain the discretion to modify the rules as we deem necessary.


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

And how old are the oldest bones?

top 4 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The youngest at any given time is probably a diatom, I'd think. They just exist in such great numbers, that's all. They're even harvested up and sold as diatomaceous earth.

Oldest bone is a 400 million year old fishbone, apparently. I had to google it.

https://newatlas.com/oldest-bone-aspidin-fish-fossil/55710/

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Edit: next time I'm gonna read the link I link before I link it instead of after. Gimme a minute, tacos just arrived

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

The rule of thumb among paleontologists says that fossilization takes about 10.000 years, so that would be your youngest age. It should be noted, however, that there are many different mechanisms that lead to fossilization. The Lloyds Bank coprolite, for example, is generally described as a fossilized Viking poop despite being 'only' about 1200 years old.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

What's a fossil? Is the deer skull I found a fossil? Is the imprint of a chicken bone in wet concrete a fossil once the concrete sets?

load more comments
view more: next ›